MoBay Mayor scolded
published: Tuesday | October 28, 2003

By Janet Silvera, Freelance Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

MONTEGO BAY'S Mayor Councillor, Noel Donaldson, was strongly reprimanded and asked to leave the scene of the demonstration at Flankers in St. James yesterday by a senior police officer, following a heated argument between the two.

The Mayor, who has spent a lot of time in the community since the fatal shooting of taxi operator, David Bacchas and newspaper vendor Cyril Brown and the wounding of Audrey Stephens, in the early hours of Saturday morning, was almost arrested by the police who felt his presence in the community was inciting the demonstrators.

"Good sense told me not to arrest him," said Senior Superintendent Paul Ferguson. "Instead, he was taken to a holding area where he was strongly reprimanded."

According to the Senior Superintendent, Mayor Donaldson led a group of demonstrators on to the streets, disobeying the orders of the police that persons were to remain off the main thoroughfare.

DISAPPOINTED

"Why would a man of his stature behave in this manner?" said SSP Ferguson. "I am so disappointed by his behaviour."

However, the Mayor has dismissed claims that he was inciting the demonstrators. "Councillor Charles Sinclair and I were telling the people they have a right to demonstrate but that they should do so within the law," he told The Gleaner. He said he was not asked to leave the scene, as he was in the community until late afternoon, after he was reprimanded by the police.

There were charges yesterday that the situation was being politicised with the hope of gaining mileage in the area.